Coin-controlled vending-machine.



No. 743,037. PATEN'IED NOV. 3, 1903,

P. J. ROWSE. COIN GONIROLL'ED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION ILBD AUG. 20, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 'TS-SHEET l.

J- 0 /T/Vsssss, .a NMEA/Tua f WAM'. FM.,

PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903. ,IZ J. ROWSE.

GOIN GONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20. 1903.

3 SHBBTS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

a wv [El 6.- F /M/Elvm WTA/5555.5.

PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.

` P. J. ROWSE. y G01N GONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

MTA/515555 l tio. 743,037'.

UNITED STATES it latented November 3, 1903.

`PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. RowsE, oF PAwTUoKET, RHODE ISLAND, AssIGNoR 'ro AMERL CANVENDING MACHINE COMPANY, OF SACO, MAINE, A

OF MAINE.

CORPORATION COIN-CONTROLLED,VENDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,037, dated November3, 1903.

Application tiled August 20, 1903- To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FRANK J. Rowsn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State 5 of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCoin-Controlled Vending-Machines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Like numerals indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a view of my improved coin` controlled vending-machine asseen partly in side elevation and partly in section on line o d of Fig.4. In this figure the coin devices are shown in their position whenready to receive the coin. Fig. 2 is a view of said machine as seenpartly in section on line b of Fig. 5, showing the coin devices in theirposition when the coin has been carried forward and is ready to bereleased and to drop in the money-drawer. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionalview as seen on line c c of Fig. 5 and illustrates the manner in whichthe package is discharged from the machine and delivered 25l to thepurchaser. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of said machine as seen on line d dof Fig. 1 when the parts of the machine are in the position shown inFig. l. Fig. 5 is a similar top plan view when the parts of the machineare in the position illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof the package which is vended. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transversesectional view of the parts as seen on line ce of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is anenlarged view as seen partly in elevation and partly in section on lineff of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view as seen partly in elevation andpartly in section on line g g of Fig. 2. Fig. 10 is a top plan view ofthe coin-carrying devices in the position when a washer substituted fora coin is carried upon the pointed ends of the springpressed levers andwith the plate of the pushrod in contact with the cam edge of thelocking-lever. Fig. ll is a perspective View of the caseof the machinewith the lid open to show a portion ot` the holders of the articles tobe vended.

My invention relates to the class of coin controlled vending-machines;and it consists 5o of the novel construction and combination of SerialNo. 170,192. (No model) the several parts, as hereinafter described, andspeciiicallyset forth in the claims.

In the drawings, 1 represents the box or case inclosing the operativeparts of the machine. This box or case rests upon a base 2. 55 The frontside has an opening at the bottom, and a drawer 3 is movable therein, asseen in Figs. 1 and 1l, by means of a handle 4. A lid or cover 5 ishinged to the top of the case and may be locked, as indicated at 6inFig. 1l. A coin-chute opens at its upper end through a slot 7 in thefront side of the case. A push-rod Sis movable through a round hole inthe front side of the case and is operated by a knob 9.

VThe bed of the machine, which supports the mechanism, consists of thehorizontal plate l0. The plate 10 has the downwardlybent projections oranges 1l 12 and is fastened in place by screws 13 14, which pass throughsaid flanges, respectively, into the front side and back of the case, asshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The bed 0r plate 10 has the aperture 15(best shown in Fig. 2) and also the two slots 16 and 17. (Best shown inFigs. 2 and 3.)

The' coin-chute 18 extends from the slot or opening 7 of the front ofthe case 1 in a curve or bend and at its lower end terminates in a base19, which rests at its bottom edge on the bed 10, as seen in Fig. 2. Thepush-rod Sis concentrically reduced in diameter, and its smaller orforward end 20 passes loosely through an aperture 21, made therefor inthe base 19 of the coin-chute 18. This coin-chute 'base 19 also has twoother perforations or apertures 22 22 through it, arranged in ahorizontal line with the aperture 21, which is between them, as seen inFig. 10.

A plate 23 is mounted fast upon the reduced portion 2O of the push-rod 8and lies against the shoulder formed by the concentric reduction of saidpush-rod, as best seen in Fig. 10. As shown in Fig. 7, this plate 23 issemicircular on top and straight on the bottom, with rectangular lowercorners, so that its bottom edge slides along the upper surface of thebed-plate 10. A spiral spring 24 surrounds the rod 20. One end of thespring 24 bears against a cross-pin 25, which passes through roo adiametrical hole in the rod 20, as lseen in Figs. 7 and 10, and theother end of the spring 24 bears against the base 19 of the coin-chute.

Two pointed rods or prongs 26 26, which are parallel to each other andto the push-rod 20, are fastened in the plate 23, and the forwardpointed ends of said rods 26 26 are movable into and through the holes22 22 of the base 19 of the coin-chute 18. The usual position of theseparts is illustrated in Figs. 1, 4, and 10. As there seen, the spiralspring 24 is in its expanded condition, and the prongs or rods 26 26 areentirely withdrawn from the holes 22 22. A bar 27 extends up from thebedplate 10 and at its upper end supports the top of the coin-chute 18.The bar 27 has a chamber or depression 28, Figs. 2, 10, and when thepush-rod 8 is in its inoperative position the plate 23 is received intosaid chamber or depression, as shown in Figs. l, 4, and 5.

The coin-chute 18 has two opposite inwardly-bent flanges 29 29, whichnarrow at and near their lower ends, leaving a flaring open space there,as illustrated in Fig. 9.

Two levers 30 40 are pivotally mounted on the bed-plate 10 by screws 313l. (Best seen in Fig. 10.) Each lever 30 has an earpiece 32, and aspiral spring 33 has its ends hookshaped, one hook engaging with aperforation in one of said earpieces and the other hook engaging with aperforation in the other of said earpieces. Each lever 30 has at itsfree end a curved jaw or projection 34, nearly ninety degrees in extentand directed inwardly. Normally the outer peripheral edge of each jaw34, near the center thereof, rests against the adjacent corner of thebase l9 of the coin-chute 18.

A locking-lever 35 is pivotally mounted onr snrface, against which theedge of the plate 23 is adapted to contact. The opposite end of thelocking-lever 35 is provided with three notches or serrations 40. Aspiral spring 41 has one end thereof hooked into a hole 42 of the lever35 and its opposite end hooked into a perforated stud 43, which is setin thel bed-plate 10. The lower portion of the bar or plate 27 is cutaway, as shown at 44 in Fig.

7, to allow the movement of the locking-lever 35, which at that place isbent up to lie -above the adjacent lever 30 and its pivotal screw 31.

4 and 5, but more plainly seen in Fig. 10.

the coin 46 is supported.

The bed-plate 10 has an upwardly-directed flange 47, which is slotted,as indicated in Fig.

2. A sliding plate 48 rests upon the bed-plate l 10 and is movablethrough said slot. The end of the sliding plate 48 toward the front ofthe l machine is upturned and provided with an .flanges 60 60.

The curved end of the locking-lever 35y lies in the chamber 28, asindicated in Figs.

aperture, as seen in Fig. 2. Said sliding plate 48 has a longitudinalslot 49. A stud or-pin 50, iixed in the bed-plate 10, projects upthrough the slot 49 ofthe sliding plate 48.

A feed-lever 51is pivotally mounted on a screw 52, which extends intothe bed-plate 10. The lever 51 has a slot 53 at one end and a slot 54 atits opposite end. It is also provided with an upwardly-bent lip 55. Aspiral spring 56 has one end thereof hooked through a hole in the flange47 of the bedplate 10 and its opposite end hooked through a hole 57 inthe feed-leverl. The lever 51 is adjustably mounted on a screw-pivot 58,which is shouldered, as seen in Fig. 2, and screwed into the slidingplate 48.

- Two vertical holders 59 59 are provided, each of which has twoparallel sides and also They are secured in position by screws 61, whichpass through the flanges 60 into the bed-plate 10. The vendible articleis in the form of a package 62. (Shown separately in Fig. 6.) Thesepackages are piled up, with their ends projecting loosely in .theholders 59, and a Weight 64 is placed upon the top of the pile, asshown, to press them down.

The holders 59 59 have the slots 64 and 65, the bottoms of which areeven with the upper surfaces of the bed-plate 10, as seen in Fig. 3.

In the slot 16 of the bed-plate 10 is the slide 66, Whose upper siderests upon the top of said bed plate and whose lower side lies againstthe under surfaces of said bed-plate, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. From thelower side of the slide 66 a pin 67 projects, which extends through theslot 53 of the feed-lever 51. The slide 66 is movable along the slot 16of the bed-plate 10 and the slot 65 of t-he holder 59.

The sliding plate 48 has a downwardly-extending earpiece 68, Which movesalong the slot 17 of the bed-plate 10 and confines the sliding plate 48to a linear movement.

The feed-lever 5l on the part adjacent to the sliding plate 48 liesabove the bed-plate 10, but has a bend, as indicated at 69, and therepasses down through an opening 70, so that the free end of the lever 5lis beneath the bed-plate 10, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

Having thus described the several parts of my invention, I will nowexplain the operation.

The normal position of the parts is that shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 11. Acoin 46 is inj serted through the opening 7 and descends At the bottomof the coin-chute 18 are two'r bent lips or projections 45 45, uponwhich by gravity down the coin-chute 18. Then the coin 46 reaches thebottom of the chute 18, it rests upon the two projecting lips 45 IIC IIS

45, as seen in'Figs. 4, 8, and 9. At this time the peripheral edges ofthe jaws 34 rest against the edge of the coin 46, as seen in Figs. 4 and9. The operator then presses against the knob 9, and so moves thepushrod 8 20 from the position shown in Figs. 1

and 4 to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5. By this inward movementgiven tosaid push-rod the pointed rods or prongs 26 26 enter and passthrough the holes 22 22 of the base 19 of the coin-chute, and thereduced end 20 of the push-rod passes through the hole 21, Fig. 8, ofsaid base 19, and the spiral spring 24 is compressed. The sharp point ofthe push-rod 20 bears against the coin 46 at the center thereof andpresses said coin against the upturned flange of the sliding plate 48,as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. At the same time, the pointed rods orprongs 26 26, fastened to the plate 23 of the pushrod 8 20, move forwardwith said push-rod, enter and pass through the holes 22 22 made thereforin the base 19 of the coin-chute. As

`the coin 46 thus moves forward it spreads apart the jaws 34 34 of thelever-arms 30 30 until it has passed the same, whereupon by force of thespring 33 saidlever-arms 30 30 are drawn toward each other, and thesharp ends of the jaws 34 34 move inwardly to the position illustratedin Fig. 10. In this manner the sliding plate 48 is caused to slide ormove inwardly, being kept to a direct line of movement by means of thepin or stud 50 of the bed-plate 10 in the slot 49 and the ear 68 in theslot 17 of said bed-plate. This inward travel of the sliding plate 48results in the movement of the feed-lever 51 from the position shown inFig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5. As the free end of the lever 51,which, as seen in Fig. 4, is wholly outside of the holder 59, movestoward the front of the machine the slide 66 is pushed along the slot 16by reason of the projection of the pin 67 of the slide 66 through theslot 53 of the feedlever 5l, and so the slide enters and passes throughthe slot 65 of the holder 59 (see Fig. 3) and pushes out the lowermostpackage 62 of the pile of vvendible articles, which package 62 so pushedpasses out through the slots 64 of the opposite holder 59, when itsprojecting end can then be seized by the operator and Withdrawn from thecase, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5. As the feed-lever 51 moves, asabove described, from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shownin Fig. 5 the lip 55 of the lever 51 moves by its beveled edge along theserrations or notches 40 of the locking-lever 35, said serrated portionof the lever 35 being held in contact with the lip 55 of the lever 51 bythe force of the spiral spring 4l. with either one of the notches 40 ofthe lever 35, the sliding plate 48 islprevented from a reverse movement.The consequence is that as soon as the operator ceases to press againstthe knob 9 of the push-rod 8 and said rod is free to return to itsnormal position by force of the spiral spring 24 the sharp point of thereduced end 20 of the push-rod 8 moves away from the coin 46, (which ithas hitherto kept by its pressure in contact with the upturned end ofthe sliding plate 48,) and the coin 46 1 being no longer supportedfallsby its gravity- Whenever the lip 55 is engaged and drops into the drawer3 beneath it. As

the push-rodS returns to its'normalposition when allowed by force of thespiral spring 24 the plate 23, which is fastened upon said rod,moves'with it, and the edge of said plate 23 coming into contact withthe cam edge 39 presses against and moves the locking-lever 35 in thedirection of the arrow in Fig. 10 from the position shown in Fig. l0 tothe position shown in Fig. 1, where it is seen that the end of the lever35 rests against the edge of the plate 23. The return movement of thepush-rod 8 2O is given by the spring 24, the return movement of thesliding plate 48 is given by the spring 56, and the return movement ofthe feed-lever 51 is given by the spring 56.

The purpose of the serrations 40 of the locking-lever 35 and theengagement of the lip 55 of the feed-lever 5 therewith is to enable therelease and fall of the coin. By this contrivance the sliding plate 48is prevented from following the push-rod 8 2O in its return movement.

My improved vending-machine is provided with devices by which the use ofmetallic washers or pasteboard counters intended to be fraudulently usedinstead of coin is prevented. In case a metallic Washer 46L is usedinstead of a coin the action is as follows: The point of the push-rod 2Opasses freely through the central aperture of such washer into theopening 71 of the upturned edge of the sliding plate 48 and eifects noresult whatever. The continued pressure upon the knob 9 advances theprongs or rods 26 26 and causes them to move through the openings 22 22of the base 19, Fig. 10, and to press against the washer near the rimthereof. (See Fig. 9.) Thus the washer is pushed by said rods or prongs26 26 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 10and is crowded out past the curved jaws 34 34 of the levers 30 30. Thewasher then lies between the' sharp points of said jaws and the upturnedend of the sliding plate 48. In this manner the space is cleared for thereception again of a coin, and yet the article to be delivered has notbeen delivered. The washer remains in this position until a coin lhasbeen put into the coin-chute 18 and has been operated upon in the usualmanner, as hereinbefore described. If, howeve1,another washer is put ininstead of a coin, the second (or any subsequent) washer is disposed ofthe same as the first. Whenever a coin is put in after a washer, thecoin is pushed forward by the push-rod. It is pressed into contact withsaid washer instead of being pressed into contact with the upturned endof the sliding plate 48, and all three-the coin, washer, and slidingplate--are moved inwardly;` but as soon as the feed-lever 51 and thelocking-lever 35 are fastened together by the lip 55 in some one of thenotches 40 and the operator removes his hand from the knob 9 both thewasher and the coin drop together by gravity into the drawer beneath.the use of a metallic washer is ineffectual to secure a delivery of apackage 62 by the machine. Y y

Suppose that instead of a coin 46, as illustrated in Fig. 4, apasteboard disk is used which has the same diameter as the coin. Wheninserted in the slot 7, it will, like the coin, slide down the chute andrest upon the lips 45; but as the end of the reduced portion 2O of thepush-rod 8 has a sharp thrustingpoint said point when the knob 9 ispressed inwardly to move the push-rod penetrates and passes through suchpasteboard disk, the hole '71 in the upturne'd end of the sliding plate48 allowing this thrusting movement and receiving the sharp point of thepushrod after it has passed through the pasteboard disk. For this reasonthe sliding plate 48 is not forced inwardly, whereas in casea coin isused, asV hereinbefore explained, the coin covers the aperture 7l, andthe thrust of the point of the push-rod is centrally received andresisted by the coin, so that the pressure of said point against thecoin causes the coin to press against the upturned end of the slidingplate 48, and thus the sliding plate 48 is moved inwardly; but as thepasteboard disk is not pushed butpierced by the point of the push-rodthe slidingplate 48is not moved. The continued pressure `upon the knob 9causes the push-rod 8 20 to move inwardly still farther, andso the twopointed rods or prongs 26 26 moveto and through the openings 22 22 madetherefor in the base 19 ofthe coin-chute 18. The points of the rods orprongs 26 then come in contact with the pasteboard disk and push it offfrom the lips45 45, and so clear it from the chute 18 and beyond thejaws 34 34, as shown in Fig. lO. I/Vhen the three pointed rods 20, 26,and 26 when the pressure on the knob 9 ceases are withdrawn bythe'spring 24 to the position shown in Fig. l, the pasteboard disk is nolonger supported, but drops into the drawer 3 beneath through the spacebetween the coin-chute and the upturned end of the-sliding plate 48. Itwill be observed that the edges of the upturned end of the sliding plate48 are beveled, so that said upturned end is capable of entering between theends of the jaws 34 34 and to approach the coin-chute to aproper distance.

I claim as a novel and useful invention and desire to secure by LettersPatent-v l. In a coin-controlled vending-machine, the combination of acoin-chute with means to support a coin at the lower end thereof, aspring-pressed push-rod supported in and movable through an aperture inthe coinchute, a sliding plate properly mounted and having an upturnededge adapted to contact with and receive pressure from said coin whenthe latter is pressed by the push-rod, a feedlever properly mounted andpivotally connected at one end with said sliding plate and provided witha lip, a locking-lever properly mounted and provided with a notch withThus l which said lip of the feed-lever is engageable, a spring to givereturn movement to the feedlever, a spring to give return movement tothe locking-lever, means intermediate said push-rod and locking-lever tooperate the latter from the former for the purpose of disengaging thelocking-lever from the feed-lever, a holder or receptacle having slotsin its sides at its bottom and adapted to hold a vendible package, and aslide pivotally connected with the feed-lever and adapted to move saidpackage out o f said holder or receptacle, substantially as described. l

2. In a coin-controlled vending-machine, the combination of a coin-chutewith means to support a coin at the lower end thereof, a push-rodsupported by and movable through an aperture in the coin-chute andprovided with a plate mounted thereon, a sliding plate properly mountedand having an `uptnrned edge adapted to contact with and receivepressure from said coin when the latter is pressed by the push-rod, afeed-lever properly mounted and pivotally connected at one end with saidsliding plate and provided with a lip, a locking-leverproperly mountedand provided with a notch with which said lip of the feedlever isengageable and having a cam edge with which the plate of the push-rod isadapted to contact, a spring to give return movementto the push-rod, aspring to give return movement to the feedlever,a spring to give returnmovement to the locking-lever, aholder or receptacle having slots in itssides at its bottom and adapted to hold a vendible package, and a slidepivotally connected with the feed-lever and adapted to move said packageout of said holder or receptacle, substantially as specified.

3. In a coin-controlled vending-machine, the combination of apivotally-mounted lever7 a slotted hed-plate, a slide movable in saidslot and connected with one end of said lever, a sliding plate movablein another slot of said bed-plate and pivotally connected with theopposite end of said lever, a push-rod, a slotted receptacle for avendible package, automatic means of locking said lever in either ofseveral positions which means areoperated from the push-rod on itsreturn movement, and means for giving return movement to the push-rodand to said lever, respectively, substantially as described.

4. In a coin-controlled vending-machine, the combination of a coin-chutehaving coinsupports at its lower end, a push-rod capable of movement byhand in an inward direction and of an outward movement by a spring, aplate or bar mounted on said push-rod, two rods mounted on said plateorbar parallel with the push-rod and with each other, and a base forsaid coin chute provided with three openingsor holes into and throughwhich said push-rod and said two other parallel rods respectively aremovable, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a coin-controlled vending-machine,

YOO

IIC

the combination of a coin-chute having coinsupports at its lower end, apush-rod having a sharp-pointed end, a spring to give reverse movementto the push-rod, a plate or bar on the push-rod, a base for saidcoin-chute having three openings or holes therethrough, two rods orprongs provided with sharp-pointed ends and mounted on said plate or barparallel with the push-rod so that said three rods are movable into andthrough the three holes respectively of the'coin-chute base, aslidingplate having an upturned end which has a perforation adapted to receivethe end of the push-rod, and a spring to give return movement to saidsliding plate, substantially as described.

6. In a coin-controlled vending-machine, the combination of a coin-chutehaving coinsupports at its lower end, a push-rod, a spring to givereverse movement to the push-rod, a plate or bar on the push-rod, a basefor the coin-chute having three openings or holes therethrough, two rodsor prongs mounted in said plate or bar parallel with the push-rod sothat said three rods respectively are movable into and through the threeholes respectively of the coin-chute base, two levers each pivotallymounted at one end thereof and having at the opposite end a curved jaw,and a spring connecting said two levers, all arranged and operatingsubstantially as shown and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. ROWSE. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. LAvvToN, G. W. RowsE.

